countries through the establishment of a coordinated institutional mechanism Enable countries to assess priority environmental health risks, develop and implement cost-effective national environmental health action plans (NEHAP) and disseminate them to stakeholders Future plans The member countries of the Regional Forum on Environment and Health in Southeast and East Asian Countries should: Undertake the best possible actions available to address (and reverse) the trend of environmental degradation and its negative impact on health to ensure the implementation of global and regional agreements (such as the Millennium Development Goals) Establish and/or strengthen existing inter-agency and multi-sector technical working groups and national coordination mechanisms and processes, linking these with other countries in the region to facilitate capacity-building and the exchange of information, technology, resources and learning Prepare and regularly update NEHAP (or equivalent plans) and ensure their implementation so priority environmental-health issues in each country are effectively addressed Build the capacity of stakeholders so they can be mobilized to support the implementation of NEHAP Strengthen collaboration among themselves and with other regional and global intergovernmental bodies on trans-boundary, regional, and global environmental-health issues (including attendance at the regional forum Advocate for adequate budgets and resources for the environment and health sectors in their countries Ensure that the charter is widely disseminated within each country and across the region in the languages of the region International partner organizations are encouraged to: Support this regional initiative by providing needed technical and financial assistance and sharing information and expertise Support the development and implementation of NEHAP and equivalent plans Intensify coordination and cooperation among themselves to optimize the use of resources Ensure proper coordination with existing intergovernmental processes Countries and partner organizations should work for the widest possible endorsement of the charter, to ensure the attainment of its objectives. Ministers responsible for environment and health of southeast and east-Asian countries will meet every three years to assess national and regional progress and agree on specific actions to reduce significant environmental threats to health. References Health policy Medical education Health in Asia Health in East Asia Environment of Asia Environment of East Asia